Dare to compare: Magnet open houses begin tonight

Starting tonight, the Columbus Municipal School District will host a series of elementary open houses as the district prepares for its second year of magnet schools with five themes -- fine arts, aerospace, medical sciences and wellness, international studies or technology and communication.

The open house schedule is:

n Cook Fine Arts Magnet School

Tonight: 5-7 p.m.

n Fairview Aerospace and Science Magnet School

Tuesday: 5-7 p.m.

n Franklin Medical Sciences and Wellness Magnet School

Wednesday : 5-7 p.m.

n Sale International Studies Magnet School

Thursday: 5-7 p.m.

n Stokes-Beard Technology and Communication Magnet School

Monday, March 9: 5-7 p.m.

To get their theme of choice, parents and students will have to enter the school choice lottery. Parents who wish to enroll their child in the pre-kindergarten program at Stokes-Beard Elementary also must submit a lottery form.

School choice forms for Columbus city elementary schools can be picked up at schools and at Brandon Central Services on McArthur Drive.

CMSD officials are urging parents to get their children signed up for the lottery early to ensure their children are placed in their first choice.

Through the lottery program, parents are able to list their first three choices of elementary schools. They are then assigned accordingly.

Last year, students again were offered the chance to enter the lottery, if they were new to the district or wanted to schools because of the inception of the magnet program; about 97 percent of families got their first choice.

For more information about the lottery, please contact CMSD Assistant Superintendent Dr. Martha Liddell at 662-241-7400 or e-mail liddellm@columbus.k12.ms.us. The Magnet Schools Lottery Application is available at http://www.columbuscityschools.org.

The deadline for submitting lottery applications is Friday, March 27, at 4 p.m. The lottery for the 2009-10 school year will be conducted at Brandon Central Services on Friday, April 17, at 10 a.m.